The stretch between the 1980s and the 2000s was a wild time for breakfast cereals. Cereal companies churned out an incredible variety of shapes, colors, and, most notably, some seriously questionable flavors. Whether you craved sweet, healthy, or something entirely unexpected, there was a box for you.
We all have our beloved cereals (looking at you, Peanut Butter Captain Crunch!), but this era also gave us plenty of one-hit-wonders—or rather, one-taste-and-never-again disasters. Get ready to cringe as we dive into ten of the grossest cereal flavors that were ultimately canceled.
10 Ice Cream Cones Cereal
Back in 1986, General Mills had a thought: if cookies could be breakfast, why not ice cream? This led to the creation of Ice Cream Cones cereal, a truly unappetizing concept. It launched in two flavors: chocolate and chocolate chip.
Unsurprisingly, this cereal didn’t stick around. It was discontinued the very same year it appeared. Parents weren’t thrilled about serving their kids what amounted to ice cream for breakfast. What seemed like a fun idea belly-flopped. An attempt to revive it in 2003 also failed. Ice Cream Cones cereal remains a melted memory of breakfasts best forgotten.
9 Cupcake Pebbles
While Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles are breakfast icons, Cupcake Pebbles thankfully didn’t last. Around from 2010 to 2011, Cupcake Pebbles boxes featured a slogan almost too honest: “Good old wholesome sweetened rice cereal with artificial flavor.” Oof! Perhaps not the best selling point to highlight artificial flavors.
Cupcake Pebbles were apparently so unappealing that even Fred and Barney steered clear, leaving Bamm-Bamm and Pebbles as the box mascots. Whether you tried it or not, most can agree that the slogan alone was a marketing misstep.
8 Batman Cereal
Everything about Batman cereal screamed cool. It had bat-shaped pieces and the backing of a legendary superhero. It seemed destined for success, but its taste was its kryptonite.
Initial sales were strong, boosted by a collectible Batman plastic bank included in boxes. Kids begged their parents for the Dark Knight’s breakfast, and parents obliged. However, the cereal’s appeal stopped at its shape. The promised “natural honey nut flavor” failed to impress, tasting nothing like the exciting commercials suggested. This disappointment led to its cancellation in 1990. It seems Honey Nut Cheerios, around since the ’70s, remained unbeatable.
7 Nickelodeon Green Slime Cereal
Nickelodeon rose to prominence in the early ’80s. One of its popular shows was You Can’t Do That on Television. In this show, contestants faced trivia, and saying “water” got them doused with water. More famously, saying “I don’t know” resulted in a cascade of green slime.
Capitalizing on the slime craze, Nickelodeon partnered with General Mills in 2003 to launch Green Slime cereal, timed to promote the Kids’ Choice Awards. Unfortunately, the cereal didn’t match the show’s success. Beyond its unpleasant taste, the smell and color were, well, very slime-like—not exactly appetizing. It wasn’t long before this green concoction vanished from shelves, making way for more palatable options.
6 Sour Patch Kids Cereal
The Sour Patch Kids cereal was so poorly received that its discontinuation wasn’t even formally announced. If you’ve been wondering where it went, consider it gone for good! Many factors led to its demise, but a key one was its status as a “novelty” cereal.
Sour Patch Kids cereal had catchy commercials, but few families made it a regular breakfast. Ironically, despite its “Sour” name, it packed a staggering 40% sugar. Yet, many found it wasn’t even particularly sweet or sour in an enjoyable way. It’s a bad sign when the commercials are more appealing than the actual product.
5 Nintendo Cereal System
Super Mario enthusiasts might recall the Nintendo Cereal System, produced by Ralston Cereals in 1988. This cereal aimed to capture the magic of two hit video games: The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros. However, like many franchise-inspired cereals, its terrible flavor cut its lifespan short.
Initial sales were brisk, driven by Super Mario fans eager for a themed breakfast. But consumers quickly discovered the cereal was a taste disaster. Its flavor was so off-putting that it was discontinued, though it didn’t stop dedicated fans from seeking it out as a collectible. One box reportedly sold for over $200 – certainly not for its culinary value.
4 Urkel-Os
Urkel-Os was an extremely sweet strawberry and banana-flavored cereal that many millennials enjoyed, but it didn’t quite win over everyone. This breakfast food was inspired by Steve Urkel from the popular ’90s sitcom Family Matters. The cereal even mirrored the colorful shirts often worn by the quirky, lovable nerd.
Unlike some other offensively bad cereals, Urkel-Os did find its way onto numerous breakfast tables. However, its taste couldn’t quite compete with other popular ring-shaped cereals like Froot Loops. Eventually, even Urkel might have said, “Did I do that?” about this flavor experiment.
3 Banana Frosted Flakes
This one might stir some debate, but many found Banana Frosted Flakes to be quite awful. Kellogg’s decision to discontinue this flavor wasn’t entirely surprising. The concept of banana flavor in your cereal was intriguing. However, the bananas in Banana Frosted Flakes were surprisingly crunchy and overpoweringly sweet, which felt odd compared to a real banana.
Introduced in 1981, the cereal was canceled by 1984. More recently, Kellogg launched Banana Crème Frosted Flakes, which some find to be an improvement over the original. Perhaps this newer version will have a longer shelf life.
2 Mr. T Cereal
Laurence “Mr. T” Tureaud, the iconic wrestler and actor, was a huge star in the ’80s, known for The A-Team and Rocky III. His immense popularity led to the creation of Mr. T cereal, designed to appeal to his many fans. The cereal pieces were shaped like the letter “T.”
However, the cereal’s taste didn’t live up to the greatness of the man who inspired it. Widely considered inedible, it was canceled shortly after its release. Even a memorable appearance in the movie Pee Wee’s Big Adventure couldn’t save it. It seemed a taste test might have been overlooked in the rush to capitalize on his fame. We pity the fool who actually bought this cereal for the flavor.
1 Frute Brute
Frute Brute, part of the Monster Cereal lineup, launched in 1974 but was discontinued by 1982. It was a frosted, cherry-flavored cereal featuring a werewolf mascot. General Mills is a giant in the cereal world, but they miscalculated with this one.
Frute Brute was considered a disaster by many and it’s somewhat surprising it lasted as long as it did. Its main claim to fame came from its appearances in films like Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, making it a cult classic in pop culture. However, its sales figures were less than stellar. Cherry-flavored cereal? For many, it was like eating breakfast that tasted like cough syrup. No, thank you.
These cereals serve as a reminder that not every flavor idea is a good one. While some adventurous eaters might have enjoyed them, most were happy to see them disappear from store shelves.
Did you ever try any of these infamous cereals? Or perhaps you remember another disgusting flavor that got rightfully canceled? Share your memories and thoughts in the comments below!
